Thread-cutting machine for embroidered fabrics



E. MITTELHOLZER. THREAD CUTTING MACHINE FOR EMBROIDERED FABRICS.APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1919.

1,335,450.. Patented MaJ1'.30, 1920.-

lNVENTOR ERNEST MITTELHOLZER, 0F PATCHOGUE, NEW YORK.

THREAD-CUTTING MACHINE FOR EMBROIDERED FABRICS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

aten-ted Mar. 30, 1920.

Application filed June 26, 1919. Serial No. 306,866

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERNnsT h IITTELHOLZER, acitizen of the United States, and resident of Patchogue, in thecount-yof Suffolk and State of New York, have invented a certain new anduseful T bread-Cutting Machine for Embroidered Fabrics, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to embroidering machinery.

In mechanically embroidered goods, the pattern is usually designed inthe form of a plurality of embroidered zones or areas,

and most commonly these embroiderings constitute widely distributedclusters which are arranged in straight parallel columns running in thelongitudinal direction of the fabric. As these goods leave theembroidering machine, in the -manufacture, the said clusters ofembroiderings which are laterally opposite each other are connected bywaste threads, which are left there as a result of the utilization of asingle continuous thread in the mechanical embroidering process. At thepresent time, these connect ing waste-threads are cut manually byoperators with common scissors, after the fabric has been removed fromthe embroidering machine. and thereafter the fabric lsput r Theprincipal object of my invention is to remedy the above mentioneddisadvantages that are at the present time attendant to the cutting ofthe waste-threads, and to provide a simple and inexpensive machine thatwill perform this operation automatically rapidly, economically, andwith great efficiency.

()ther objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 shows across sectional elevation of the thread cutting machine.

Fig. 9, is front elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1. w

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a fragment of a detail of this machine.

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a portion of embroidered fabric, illustratingthe type of embroidered goods in the manufacturing process of which thismachine is utilized.

The embroidered goods 1 is usually of a pattern which consists of seriesof embroidered rosettes 2, or similar conventional artistic figures,which are arranged in the form of rows 3 that run in the longitudinaldirection of the fabric, and most commonly the individual rosettes orfigures 2- of the pattern are also arranged laterally opposite eachother, as exemplified by the sample design shown in Fig. 1. In themanufacturing process performed by the embroidering machine a singlethread is utilized for executing the several embroidered zones 2 thatrun in a transverse line across the goods, with the result that in thefinished embroidered"fabric each laterally opposite pair of rosettes 2is connected by a thread 1, here denominated the waste-thread. Thesewaste-threads 4: which thus run in series of rows between the rows 3 ofembroiderings have to be entirely removed before the goods are renderedmarketable, and to effect such removal the threads have to be cut asshown in the row 5, and thereafter the fabric is put through a specialmachine which mows off the two loose pieces of wastethreads 6 dependingfrom each rosette after the cutting of the threads 1, thereby leavingthe rosettes entirely free and clear from the loose waste-threads 6 asindicated in the row-7.

The thread cutting machine is provided with a shaft 8 which is driven byany suitable ineans, not shown, in the direction of the arrow 9, Fig. 2.Said shaft carries a plurality of toothed cutting-wheels 10 keyedthereon, each of which comprises a hub 11, a rim portion 12, and aplurality of knives 13 in its periphery which are configurated as shownand provided with cutting edges 14 that terminate in sharp points 15.Each of the cutting-wheels 10 is surrounded by a sleeve 16 whichcomprises a circular Wall 17 that encompasses the cutting teeth 13 ofthe wheel 10 and is provided with a series of transverse through slotsor openings 18, Fig. 3, a web 19 which extends from the wall 17 towardthe shaft 8. and a bearing 20 which fits around the hub 11 of wheel 10and thereby renders the sleeve 16 rotatable about the cutting-wheel. Thecuttingwheels 10 are so located upon their driving shaft 8 and spacedthcrealong that the distan ces between the cutting edges of the teeth orknives 13 of the respective wheels 10 coincide with the distancesbetween the center lines, indicated by the dash and dot lines 21, thatrun equidistantly between the several rows 3 of cmbroiderings.

The walls 17 of sleeves 16 extend close to each other, whereby theycollectively constitute a continuous roll or cylinder 10 C0111- posed ofvarious sections, each of which is independently rotatable about itsrespective cutting wheel 10. And the last of the series of sleeves 10 isjoined to the receiving end 22 of the extremity of a pipe 23 connectedto any suitable pneumatic suction machine,

not shown, which runs continuously the cutting niachlne is operated andthereby 7 creates a partial vacuum or strong suction in all of thesleeves 10 constituting said contmuous cyllnder 10, the webs 19 of thesleeves 10 being provided with openings 2i 7 to permit the air to bemore effectively drawn out of the entire cylinder.

In the operation of the machine the fabric 1 is passed over the sleeves10, or the collective roller 10 which they compose, in the manner shownin Fig. Eland the fabric is advanced in the direction of the arrows 25,and the drive-shaft 8 rotates the cuttingwheels 10 in-a directionopposite to that of s the travel of the goods.

As the fabric 1 advances over the sleeves it is drawn by the suctiontherewithni to then peripheries, and

the waste-threads 4e are drawn by the suction; through the slot-tedopenings 16 and toward the knives 13 of wheels 10, whereupon theadvancing knives cut the advancing wastethreads at their centers,thereby simultaneously executing the cutting operation over the entirewidth of the fabric as the goods are being fed and auton'iaticallyperforming the cutting operation until the entire fabric has been passedover the ma chine. After thus completing the cutting of the threads lthe goods may be run through the thread mowing machine and thecutwaste-threads 6 may be completely eliminated. V i

The rotatability of the sleeves 16 permits the free and ready passage ofthe fabric thereover while it is being held thereagainst by the suction.Although the suction draws the threads effectively tl'irough the open--ings 18 the peripheries of the sleeves l6 maintains the fabric only inproximity to the points 1510f the'knife-edges l l, but sufficientlyremoved therefrom to preclude the possibllity of said knives catchingthe fabric or in any way causing injury thereto. As the goods pass overthe roller 10?. the various sleevesect1ons of which it is composedrotate at somewhat different speeds, because theyare independent of eachother, and in this manner aid the suction additionally in the walls ofthe adjoining sleeves would cooperate to loosenit from the fabric andpermit the suction to draw it toward the 11 Kt advancing knife 13 whichwould thereupon cut such thread. v

It will be evident that the wheels 10 may be spaced along the shaft Stecoincide with.

any proportions which the arrangements of various designs offabrlc-patterns may require. It Wlll be also evident that this machinemay be built either independently, so I as to perform the cuttingoperation of the goods passed therethrough after it has been removedfrom the embroidering machine, 01' it may be connected up to theembroidering machine and the goods passed therethrough directly as itleaves the embroidering machine. The precise manner of winding the goodsand advancing it over this machine is not shown, as it is believed to beobvious to those versed in this art that the only essential in puttingthe goods through this machine is to advance it over the sleeves 16 byany suitable well known means, such. as a set of rollers, that willunwind and wind on the goods during its passage over said sleeves. 7

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, andportions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A machine for cutting intwo the threads connecting the figures of embroidadapted to. chop saidconnected threads apart upon their being drawn thereto.

2. A machine for cutting in two the threads connecting the figures ofembroidered fabrics preparatory to the mowing operation having thecombination of thread cutting means including a plurality of knives,means to maintain the fabric in proximity to said cuttingmeans, means tomove the fabric. said knives being arranged to move in a line which isparallel to the line of direction of travel of the fabric, means to drawsaid connected threads toward said k ves. and saidv knives being adaptedto chop said connected threads apart upon their being drawn thereto. 7

A machine foncutting in two the threads connecting the figures ofembroidcred fabrics preparatory to the mowing operation having thecombination of rotatable cutting means, rota-table means to maintain thefabric in proximity to said cutting means, pneumatic means to draw saidconnected threads toward said cutting means,

and said cutting means being adapted to threads toward said cuttingmeans, and said cutting means being adapted to chop said connectedthreads apart upon their being drawn thereto.

5. A. machine for cutting in two the threads connecting the figures ofembroidered fabrics preparatory to the mowing operation having thecombination of knives, means to maintain the fabric in proximity to saidknives. means to advance the fabric, means to draw said connectedthreads toward said knives, and said knives being maintained in constantparallelism with said advancing fabric and adapted to chop saidconnected threads apart upon their being drawn thereto.

6. A machine for cutting in two the threads connecting the figures ofembroidwcred iabrics preparatory to the mowing operznion having thecombination of movable cutting means, means to maintain the fabric inproximity to said cutting means, means to advance the fabric in adirection opposite to the direction of movement of said cutting means.means to draw said connected threads toward said cutting means, and saidcutting means bein adapted to chop said connected threads apartupontheir being drawn thereto.

7. A machine for cutting in two the threads connecting the figures ofembroidered fabrics preparatory to the mowing operation having thecombination of cutting means, movable means to maintain the fab ric inproximity to said cutting means, means to advance the fabric. means todraw said connected threads toward said cutting opposite to said meansto maintain the fabme in proximity to said cutting means, means to drawsaid connected threads toward said cutting means, and said cutting meansbeing adapted to chop said connected threads apart upon their beingdrawn thereto.

9. A machine for cutting in two the threads connecting the figures ofembroidered fabrics preparatory to the mowing operation having thecombination of a wheel having a plurality of cutting teeth, means toadvance the fabric in proximity to Said teeth, and said teeth choppingsaid connected threads apart upon advancement of the fabric therealong.

10. A machine for cutting in two the threads connecting the figures ofembroidered fabrics preparatory to the mowing operation'having thecombination of cutting means, a movable wall for carrying the fab ric inproxin'iity to said cutting means having a plurality of openings, meansto draw said connected threads through said openings and toward saidcutting means. and

said cutting means being adapted to chop said connected threads apartupon their being drawn thereto.

11. A machine for cutting in two the threads connecting the figures ofembroidered fabrics preparatory to the mowing operation having thecombination of movable cutting means. means to advance the fabric inparallelism with said cutting means, a wall for carrying the fabric inproximity to said cutting means having a plurality of elongated openingsarranged transversely to the direction of movement of the fabric andsaid cutting means, means to draw said connected threads through saidopenings and toward said cutting means. and said cutting means beingadapted to chop said connected threads apart upon their being drawnthereto.

12. A machine for cutting in two the threads connecting the figures ofembroidered fabrics preparatory to the mowing operation having thecombination of a wheel having a plurality of cutting teeth. a sleevesurrounding said wheel adapted to hold the fabric in proximity to saidteeth and having a plurality of openings. means to draw said connectedthreads through said openings and toward said teeth. and said teethchopping said connected threads apart upon their being drawn thereto. 1

13. A thread cutting machine for embroidered goods having thecombination of a revoluble wheel having a plurality of cutting teeth, arotatable sleeve surrounding said wheel adapted to hold the goods inproximity to said teeth and having a plurality of openings,pneumatic-suction means to draw the waste threads of the goods throughsaid openings and toward said teeth, and said teeth cutting said threadsupon their being drawn thereto.

14. A thread cutting machine for em..-

broidered goods having the combination of a revoluble wheel having aplurality of cutting teeth, a rotatable sleeve surrounding saidwheeladapted to hold the goods in proximity to said teeth and having aplurality of openings, means to advance the goods in a directionopposite to the direc broidered goods having the combination of arotatable driving shaft, a plurality of wheels fixed on said shaft eachof which has a plurality of cutting teeth, a rotatable .sleeve for eachof said wheels and surrounding its teeth adapted to keep the goods inproximity to said teeth, each of said sleeves having a plurality ofopenings extending transversely to the direction of revolution of saidteeth, means to advance the goods in a direction opposite to thedirection of revolutionof said teeth, pneu niatic-suction means to drawthe waste threadsof the goods through said openings and towardsaidrteeth, and said teeth cutting said threads upon their being drawnthereto. 7

16. A thread cutting machine for embroidered goods having thecombination of a rotatable driving shaft, a plurality of wheels fixed onsaid shaft each of which has a plurality of cutting teeth, means toadvance the goods, means to maintain said goods in proximity to saidteeth, said teeth cutting said threads as the goods is advanced, andsaid wheels being mountable interchangeably at various distances alongsaid shaft for setting up for operation upon goods of differentpatterns.

j 17. A thread cutting machine for embroidered goods having thecombination of a rotatable driving shaft, a plurality of wheels fixed onsaid shaft each of which has a plurality of cutting teeth, means toadvance the goods, a sleeve for each of said wheels surrounding itsteeth and adapted to keep the goods in proximity to said teeth, saidteeth cutting said threads as the goods is advanced, and said wheels andsleeves being mountable interchangeably at various distances along saidshaft for setting up for operation upon goods of different patterns.

18. A machine for cutting the threads connecting the figures ofembroidered fabrics before the mowing operation having the combinationof knives, means to maintain the fabric in proximity to said knives,means to advance the fabric, and said knives being maintained inconstant parallelism with said advancing fabric and adapted to out saidthreads.

19. A machine for cutting in two the threads connecting the figures ofembroidered fabrics before the mowing operation having the combinationof means to advance the fabric, and means maintained in constantparallelism with said advancing fabric and adapted to chop saidconnected threads apart.

20. A machine for cutting in two the threads connecting the figures ofembroidered fabrics before the mowing operation having the combinationof cutting means to advance the fabric, means maintained in constantparallelism wlth sa1d advancing fabric and adapted to chop saidconnected threads apart, and means to draw the said connected threadstoward said chopping means as the fabric is advanced.

Signed at the city of New York, in the county of New York and State ofNew York, this 20th day of June, A. D. 1919.

ERNEST MITTELHOLZER.

